On the way back out of the facility, the group received a distress call from the Pirate Flagship, as they were under attack. It didn't take long for the group to get back to their fighters and take to the sky. There, they received confirmation of the nature of the attack, some sort of automated defense system. As Jak's craft approached the flagship, large turrets rose out of the walls that surrounded the man-made lake below, targeting the flagship. As the engines were down, it was unable to escape, leaving it to Jak to take down the turrets before they could power up enough to destroy the flagship.
After doing enough damage to the turrets before they could take the flagship out, they withdrew...and Keira informed them she was detecting a gigantic guided missile. Unable to damage it with weapons, Daxter deployed to sabotage the missile, eventually managing to take control of it and guide it into the tower that had launched it. The pattern repeated with each turret tower, until all three had been destroyed with their own missiles. With the towers destroyed, Jak once more docked with the Pirate Flagship, setting course back for Far Drop.
Far Drop seemed unchanged from their last visit, save that there were more people wandering around with the mutants being gone. The Eco Seeker scan indicated that the missing part was in the settlement, but nowhere more specific than that. To get the information, Jak, Shining, and Daxter went to speak with Barter to see if he knew anything. As they approached, he greeted them warmly.
"So glad you back, Jak!" he called out happily. "Strange things afoot." He gestured to a female pirate - a rather shapely green-eyed redhead - drinking at a nearby table, a spherical Precursor artifact in a glass sphere under her hand. Noticing Jak and the others locking eyes on the artifact, Barter grinned. "You like? That Precursor Rune Sphere. She good fighter, but me think you can...'persuade' her to give it up."
"If I tried that, Keira would kill me," Jak joked teasingly.
"That not what I meant," Barter prevaricated. "Negotiate, maybe?"
Jak rubbed his chin. "Well, I suppose I could try..." Turning, he walked up to the pirate girl's table, and she turned to give him a look. "I think you have something I need," he stated bluntly as he leaned on his staff, the gun mods hidden away inside.
"Oh. Not much for small talk are you?" she asked, her voice a seductive purr with a strong Cockney accent, as she crossed her arms over her chest, turning to look him right in the eye.
"Not really," Jak responded bluntly. "My lady wouldn't be happy with rumors of me flirting with other women."
The pirate girl chuckled wickedly. "Oh...the jealous, suspicious type?" she asked teasingly.
"No, she just has friends who love teasing her with that sort of gossip," Jak stated flatly, startling a chuckle from her. "Let's cut to the chase. The Precursor Artifact. How much?"
"Money doesn't really interest me," the lady purred cheekily. "But I might wager it on a fight..."
Jak raised an eyebrow. "And what would you be wanting to see as your prize?"
She smirked, leaning on her elbows. "How about that little orange critter to make a fur coat?"
Both Shining and Daxter tensed up, remembering how Jak reacted last time someone had asked him to wager Daxter, ready to fight their way out if Jak reacted similarly. Jak, however, merely tensed his fist around his staff as a glow came to his eyes, slipping into his Sage State as he saw a certain amount of Blue Eco focused in her body. "I suggest you reconsider your requested wager," Jak warned calmly...though everyone in the bar backed away to the edges of the large chamber as they heard his voice echo with power.
The lady pirate...smirked. Resting her hands on her gun and sword, she stood up as Eco flowed out of her body and into her weapons as her eyes lit up, blue behind the green. "Well now...this is certainly interesting. And, unfortunately, against the rules. Guess I can't be fighting you-"
"Then how about me?" Shining asked, stepping up. "Maybe I have something you're interested in wagering for?"
The girl looked down at Shining, and her grin widened. "That certainly is an interesting proposition. I must say, I've heard many legends of unicorns. If even half of them are true, I could use you on my crew."
Shining raised an eyebrow. "And just how many crew members do you have?"
"Once I win your service, two," the girl replied firmly. "Have to rebuild after losing everyone to Skyheed's monsters."
"Funny, we have a grievance with the Duke ourselves," Shining responded softly. "So how about this? You win, I join your crew. I win...you join ours, with that artifact playing a part in fixing what Skyheed's arrogance broke, and putting him in his place."
The girl smirked. "Ya drive a hard bargain. I accept. What name and titles do you have?"
Smiling, Shining got into a combat stance. "My name is Ar-Mar who Shines, Shining Armor to my friends. Son of King Damas of Haven and Spargus. Off Worlder, Eco Magi. What of your name and titles?"
Smirking, the girl took her own fighting stance, blade in one hand while her other rested on the gun at her hip. "I'm called Malicious Megara, Captain to my crew, Meg to my friends, 'Oh god please don't kill me!' to my enemies. As for titles..." Blue Eco danced along the edge of her blade, pouring out of her flesh. "The only one that needs concern ya...is Blue Sage."(1)
(1) In the game, the 'Saucy Pirate' is unnamed and only a one off boss fight, but her movements and abilities are compared to Eco Reflexes in the wiki. And by now I'm sure you all know my passion for expansive world building.